Accra, Ghana. On May 11, 2013 will take place the installation ceremony of Brother Otwasuom Osae Nyampong VI, as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ghana. The ceremony will be held in the morning at Ghana's Parliament House in Accra.

Bucharest, Romania. APMR's Secretary-General signed on January 1, 2013, two decrees setting up APMR's Consultative Body of the Secretariat General and appointing its first Counselor (the Decree shall enter into force on February 5, 2013).

Mexico City, Mexico. The main political parties in Mexico (PRI - ruling party and PRD) agree with the position of the Federation of Mexican Lodges (led by Jaime Chalita Zarur) on ending human rights violations in the case of Florence Cassez.

Asuncion, Paraguay. In the latest issue of FENIX Magazine, official publication of the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Paraguay, you can read about the food crisis, IMC's meeting organized by GLSP, the participation of the Grand Lodge at the World Conference in India and the implications of the Catholic Church boycott regarding the first Masonic monument in Paraguay.

Washington, United States of America. President Barack Obama was reinstalled at the White House today after the formal submission of his oath. In his speech, Obama talked about Liberty, Equality and achieving Happiness. He also made ​​reference to Fidelity to the Founding Principles.

Washington, United States of America. Today in the U.S. capital will take place the oath ceremony of President Barack Obama. The Ceremony and the parade will be broadcast live by APMR, starting at 11:20 local time.

Zacatecas, Mexico. The Grand Lodge of Zacatecas celebrated the birth of General Jesús González Ortega during a public event. At the ceremony were present members of the Grand Lodge, headed by Grand Master Ismael Gutiérrez Loera, Jesús González Ortega (who received the hero's bust, sculpted by his great-grandson, Héctor González Ortega Zalce) and Gustavo Salinas Iñiguez, Director of "Ramón López Velarde" Cultural Institute.

Also at the ceremony was announced a traveling exhibition that will be supported by the Grand Lodges of Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Estado de México, Coahuila, Puebla and Zacatecas.

London, United Kingdom. Due to heavy snowfall in the last period, in some provinces of the UK Masonic activities have been suspended temporarily. Among the affected provinces are Worcestershire, Norfolk, Hampshire and Wight Isles etc.

Avignon, France. Tomorrow will take place the consecration ceremony of the Traditional Grand Lodge of France. The event will be held in the Conclave Hall of the Palace of the Popes (Palais des Papes) in Avignon. The Grand Master is Jean-Luc Venturino, a GLNF former member. The Grand Lodge is the product of GLNF's domestic scandal.

The Traditional Grand Lodge of France considers itself regular and in doing so seeks to have a communication relation with the Grand Lodges of Germany, Belgium, Switzerland. Luxembourg and Austria.

Almeria, Spain. Añaza 1895 Association, in partnership with the University of Almeria will organize during 25 to 27 February 2013 an event titled "History of Freemasonry in Almeria" Days. One of the speakers is Brother Marino de Armas, Past Master of the Añaza Lodge #33 (Grand Lodge of Spain).

Paris, France. As expected, the first reaction occurred after yesterday's press conference in Paris was that of the Grand Orient of France which has already announced that on January 23, 2013 will hold a luncheon to mark a social, societal, humanist and liable year.

This event will be attended by GOdF, Women's Grand Lodge of France, Droit Humain, Women's Grand Lodge of Memphis-Misraim, Mixed Grand Lodge of France and Universal Mixed Grand Lodge. As can be seen, the common factor of the meetings of January 23 (GOdF) and April 6 (GLdF) is the Women's Grand Lodge of France.

Paris, France. Yesterday was held a press conference in Paris attended by the five Grand Masters whishing the foundation of a new Masonic Confederation. It should be noted at the outset that this event was organized at the initiative of the GLdF, GLTSO and LNF.

Marc Herny reiterated that this project would not have been possible without the support of the Grand Lodges of Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Austria. Also, it could be observed that GL-AMF's leader and GLdF's leader disagree when it comes to visiting Lodges by members of other Grand Lodges that are not part of the future confederation.

According to a press release issued by the Grand Lodge of France yesterday, on April 6, 2013 will be organized a "great European public colloquium" entitled "L'Europe, et demain?". The event will take place at Brongniart Palace and will be presided by France's Minister for European Affairs, Bernard Cazeneuve. What is interesting is that this seminar is not organized by the Grand Lodges wishing to form the new confederation, but by GLdF, GLTSO and Women's Grand Lodge of France. Among the guests at this colloquium we may also find the Vice President of the European Parliament.

Following yesterday's press conference and subsequent release reactions, it may be that GL-AMF and GLIF, which total approximately nearly 13,000 members, are still waiting for a possible recognition from the United Grand Lodge of England.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. APMR's Secretariat General informs that according to the Special Dispatch No.5129, dated 10 January 2013 and issued by MEMRI, Sheikh Suleiman Al-'Alwan said that footballers are infidels because football is a Masonic game in itself.

He issued a fatwa (religious opinion concerning Islamic law topics) in which he declared footballers as infidels. "Soccer is a Masonic game meant to distance Muslims from their religion and faith, and most of the public that follows [soccer games] is loyal to the infidels," said the Saudi sheikh.

Paris, France. The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of France, Marc Henry, will hold a press conference tomorrow during which he will present the project of the new Masonic Confederation in France and he will speak about 2013 perspectives regarding French Freemasonry. Alongside him will attend the other Grand Masters wishing the establishment of the new Masonic Confederation.

Last week was marked by three important events for French Freemasonry: GLTSO's Grand Master announced that the confederation will be not founded to obtain the recognition of the United Grand Lodge of England, GLNF's Grand Master decided to establish a National Commission for Reconciliation and Reintegration to fix Stifani's mistakes, and Saturday took place GLIF's consecration ceremony.

Paris, France. The ceremony took place in GLdF's Franklin Roosevelt Temple. The sole Grand Master who attended the ceremony was Jean Dubar (GLTSO), the other Grand Masters being represented only by a delegation. LNF's Grand Master apologized for absence, and GL-MPA's leader was represented by the Grand Expert.

Washington, United States of America. On January 21, 2013 Barack H. Obama will be sworn in as President of the United States of America for a second term. The event will be a special one because the U.S. President will be sworn in by using two symbolic Bibles (it is said that a third Bible, a personal one, will be placed also). The Bible of Abraham Lincoln and the Bible of Martin Luther King Jr.

January 21 marks the federal celebration in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The first American President to be sworn in having his hand on two Bibles was MW Grand Master Harry Truman 33° (the 33rd President of the United States of America), in 1949.

Oaxaca, Mexico. The Grand Temple of Oaxaca, belonging to the Grand Lodge "Benito Juárez García" was devastated and plundered by Jesús Alfredo López García (President of the Mexican Protectorate of Human Rights). López García was arrested and later released after paying a bail of 30,000 pesos (about $ 3000).

The Grand Temple is located in the historic center of the city, being an architectural monument visited over the years by various personalities, including President Porfirio Díaz, informs Mariano Arista Lodge #2 (APMR's state collaborator in SLP, Mexico).

Grand Master Felipe Moisés Pérez Cruz and the President of the National College of Lawyers Freemasons, Jaime Alejandro Velasco Martínez, expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the court decision to release the offender.

Kansas, United States of America. From 17 to 19 February 2013 will take place the Conference of Grand Masters of North America and the Conference of Grand Secretaries. The event will be held at Sheraton Hotel and will be hosted by the Grand Lodge of Missouri.

Among the topics to be discussed are the new social media (Conference of Grand Secretaries) and the Masonic situation in France (Conference of Grand Masters). It should be noted that last year's report evoke the hope that after the elections within GLNF a solution will be forthcoming.

Bucharest, Romania. Nicolaescu died earlier today at Elias Hospital. According Mediafax, 82 years old Nicolaescu died at 8.20 A.M., following severe cardiac and pulmonary complications, which did not respond to intensive treatment applied.

Sergiu Florin Nicolaescu was a film director, actor and Romanian politician. Three of the most popular films of the Romanian director were The Dacians (Dacii - 1966), Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul - 1970) and Mircea (1989). Michael the Brave film was broadcast worldwide by Colombia Pictures.

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IN MEMORIAM Alicia TOYOS

EXCLUSIVE | Interview with the first (woman) Grand Master in the history of the Republic of Uruguay, Alicia TOYOS | This interview has an exclusive character, being part of the Exclusive Collection of Interviews of the Masonic Agency. The republication (total and/or partial publication) of this interview is strictly prohibited.